Bowland Benefice
Pews News 5 January 2025
Epiphany Collect
O God, who by the leading of a star
manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:

mercifully grant that we,
who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
This week in the Benefice

Sunday
5 January

10.30am

Family Service
in Upton
Snodsbury

11.00am

Holy
Communion in
Peopleton

6.00pm

Evensong in
White Ladies
Aston

Wednesday
8 January

7.15pm

Broughton
Hackett PCC
meeting at
Church House

Thursday
9 January

2.00pm

Meet and
Make in The
Pantry,
Peopleton

Saturday
11 January

10.30am

Call in for
Coffee at the
Parish Room,
White Ladies
Aston

Sunday
12 January
The Baptism
of Christ

10.30am

Holy
Communion in
Upton
Snodsbury

10.30am

Christingle
Service in
White Ladies
Aston
This first Sunday in 2025 we welcome Rev Alma
Organ to Peopleton to take the Communion Service.
Alma has asked me to include a few words from

her……

I would like to say a most grateful thank you to the
Wardens and all those who have made Robin
and me so welcome and have organised
and taken part in the services.
We appreciate everyone’s warmth, friendliness and
most of all the giving of their time to make sure
services not only happen but are so well organised.

The New Year Carol

Here we bring new water from the well so clear,
For to worship God with, this happy New Year.
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.
Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe,
Open you the West Door, and turn the Old Year go. Chorus.
Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her chin,
Open you the East Door, and let the New Year in. Chorus.
This is thought to recall an old Welsh Folk Custom when
around three or four o'clock on New Year’s Day morning,
boys visited neighbouring houses, carrying fresh cold spring
water and twigs of box, holly, myrtle, rosemary etc. Using
the twigs they sprinkled the hands and face of anyone they
met for a copper or two. In every house, each room was
sprinkled with New Year's water and the inmates, who
were often still in bed, wished a Happy New Year.
I have been Bowland’s Administrator for a while now
and have got to know a bit about the Benefice, its
lovely caring people and how they tick.
So I feel I know how a lot of us will be thinking about
the New Year and having already heard of the death
and destruction happening in the name of religion in

different parts of the world.

It all seems hopeless and a huge mountain to climb
before we see the sun again. We can’t do much but
we can care for those we meet each day. That way life
is enriched and we can feel glad to be alive!
We need to begin with ourselves and our
relationships and our faith so I once more share this
ancient Sandskrit philosophy with you.
Look well to this day, for it is life,
the very best of life.
In its brief course lie all the realities
and truths of existence,
the joy of growth, the splendour of action,

the glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory
and tomorrow is only a vision.
But today, if well-lived,

makes every yesterday a memory of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.
A Prayer

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
whose years never fail

and whose mercies are new each returning day:
let the radiance of your Spirit renew our lives,
warming our hearts and giving light to our minds;
that we may pass the coming year
in joyful obedience and firm faith;
through him who is the beginning and the end,
your Son, Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.